Benzene Leukemia Law Blog : Benzene and Leukemia Lawyer & Attorney : Burke & Eisner Law Firm : Benzene Exposure, Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma

Yesterday thirty-eight workers and villagers were poisoned and hospitalized after inhaling benzene gas at a village in east China's Zhejiang Province.

The poisoning took place as workers dismantled tanks that had contained the chemical.

Short term exposure to benzene causes immediate depression of the central nervous system. Symptoms include drowsiness, headache, dizziness, loss coordination, loss of conciousness, and if levels are high enough, immediate death.

Long term exposure to the chemical has been shown to cause a variety of rare blood disorders and cancers including:

• aplastic anemia
• myelodysplastic syndromes
• acute myelogenous leukemia
• non-Hodgkins lymphoma

If you are suffering from one of the above conditions, and have been employed in an industrial setting, you could benefit from discussing your situation with a qualified benzene attorney. You may be able to receive compensation for your injury.

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Prolonged or excessive benzene exposure can lead to significant health problems such as aplastic anemia, leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. For this reason, it’s important that you know the limits for benzene exposure set by the relevant state and federal regulatory agencies if you work in a high risk occupation.

OSHA –The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a long-term exposure (8-hour shift) limit of 1 part per million (ppm) and a short-term (15 minutes) exposure limit of 5 ppm.

NIOSH –The CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has a long-term (10-hour) exposure limit of 0.1 ppm and a short-term exposure limit of 1 ppm.

ACGIH –The American Conference of Industrial Hygienists has a long-term (8-hour shift) exposure limit of 0.5 ppm and a short-term exposure limit of 2.5 ppm.

These limits are set for airborne exposure; however, benzene exposure may also occur through ingestion and skin contact. Symptoms of benzene exposure include dizziness, drowsiness, tremors, loss of consciousness, vomiting and rapid heartbeat, to name a few.

Any time these or other unusual symptoms are seen after exposure to benzene, it’s vital that medical attention be sought immediately.



 

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According to recent reports, benzene, which has been linked to myelodysplastic syndromes, and other toxic chemicals were recently found near two homes near Kalamazoo, Michigan. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discovered the materials, which were located in 500 barrels in a barn.

A spokesman for the EPA claims three of the barrels contained radioactive substances and all of the chemicals found pose an extreme threat to those living in the area. Not only are the chemicals that were found explosive, but they also could cause serious health problems to local residents.
Although there have been no signs of groundwater contamination in the area, the agency is warning those living in the area to take extra caution.

Research has found that exposure to benzene can cause various forms of leukemia, including myelodysplastic syndromes, once known as “preleukemia.” Benzene is typically used in the production of synthetic rubbers and dyes. However, it can also be found in various soda products and gasoline, two things people can generally expose themselves to on a daily basis.

Due to the nature of the problem in Kalamazoo, health officials are asking residents to immediately seek medical attention if they are feeling symptoms associated with benzene exposure. These symptoms include:

• Dizziness
• Pale skin
• Excessive bruising or bleeding
• Extreme fatigue

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